WICHITA FALLS, Texas – Defending champion Tabitha Porter (Auckland, New Zealand/Northcote College) of Metropolitan State University of Denver advanced to the semifinals of the ITA South Central Regionals with two more victories, as the Roadrunners' strong weekend continued Saturday.
 
In women's doubles, Helena Steenberg (Skodsborg, Denmark/Naerum Gymnasium, Naerum, Denmark) and Ainsley Winterrowd (Lacey, Wash./North Thurston) advanced to the semifinals with a 9-7 win over Colorado Mesa's pairing of Emily Beckley and Kristen Kirby before losing to the third-seeded Cameron (Okla.) combination of Sarah Frendo and Zhenia Shviadok 6-2, 6-1.
 
On the men's side, Alejandro Martinez-Morilla (Madrid, Spain/I.E. Valdecas) reached the quarterfinals with a 6-4, 7-5 win over No. 16 seed Pierre Marion of Cameron before his run ended in a 6-7, 6-4, 6-1 loss to ninth-seeded Liam Fraboulet of Western New Mexico.
 
"We had some really close matches today," MSU Denver coach Josh Graetz (Albury, Australia/The Scots School) said. "Some went our way, some didn't."
 
Porter, seeded fifth, improved to 10-2 this season with wins of 6-3, 6-2 over Faustine Palette of Tarleton State (Texas) and 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 over 13^th-seeded Phonephathep Philavong of Texas A&M-Kingsville
 
Now Porter faces Cameron's Frendo, the No. 8 seed, at 7 a.m. MDT on Sunday. Should she win, she would play for a shot at the ITA Cup in the 10 a.m. championship match against either second-seeded Maddy Coffman of host Midwestern State (Texas) or Frendo's doubles partner, the third-seeded Shviadok.
 
"Tabi battled hard today and was able to come out on top in both singles matches," Graetz said. "I'm looking forward to watching her compete (Sunday) in the semifinals."
 
Regional champions earn a trip to the ITA Cup in Rome, Ga., from Oct. 11 through 14.
 
Porter and Alex Pessoa (/) were unable it two sets of Roadrunners in the women's doubles semifinals, as they fell in the quarterfinals to Texas A&M-Kingsville's Lisa Carvajal and Maya Donkor 8-2.
 
Steenberg and Winterrowd, meanwhile, hadn't played together before going 3-1 this weekend.
 
"For their limited practice together and success this weekend, it shows their potential," Graetz said.
 
In women's singles consolation play Saturday, MSU Denver's Alex Pessoa (/) lost 6-4, 6-2 to Vlada Litvinova of Newman (Kan.) and Texas A&M-Kingsville's Laura Montalvo beat Winterrowd 4-6, 6-2, 10-6.
 
In men's singles, Martinez-Morilla reached the quarterfinals for the second straight year but had to settle for a three-set defeat.
 
Meanwhile, the Roadrunners' Daniel Llorente (Malaga, Spain/), the 14^th seed, lost his round of 16 matchup with No. 3 seed Chase Bartlett of St. Edward's (Texas) 6-1, 6-3.
 
In doubles, Llorente and Joey Tscherne (Sylmar, Calif./John F. Kennedy) lost their quarterfinal match to Midwestern State's Ben Westwick and Alberto Diaz 8-6.
 
 
Saturday's results:
 
 
WOMEN
Singles, Third Round
Tabitha Porter (Auckland, New Zealand/Northcote College) (MSUD) def. Faustine Palette (TSU), 6-3, 6-2
 
Singles, Quarterfinals
Tabitha Porter (Auckland, New Zealand/Northcote College) (MSUD) def. Phonephathep Philavong (TAMK), 2-6, 6-3, 6-2
Singles, Consolation
Vlada Litvinova (NU) def. Alex Pessoa (/) (MSUD), 6-4, 6-2
Laura Montalvo (TAMK) def. Ainsley Winterrowd (Lacey, Wash./North Thurston) (MSU), 4-6, 6-2, 10-6 (superset)
 
Doubles, Quarterfinals
Helena Steenberg (Skodsborg, Denmark/Naerum Gymnasium, Naerum, Denmark)/Ainsley Winterrowd (Lacey, Wash./North Thurston) (MSUD) def. Emily Beckley/Kristen Kirby (CMU), 9-7
Lisa Carvajal/Maya Donkor (TAMK) def. Tabitha Porter (Auckland, New Zealand/Northcote College)/Alex Pessoa (/) (MSUD), 8-2
 
Doubles, Semifinals
Sarah Frendo/Zhenia Shviadok (CU) def/ Steenberg/Winterrowd (MSUD) 6-2, 6-1
 
MEN
Singles, Third Round
Alejandro Martinez-Morilla (Madrid, Spain/I.E. Valdecas) (MSUD) def. Pierre Marion (CU), 6-4, 7-5
Chase Bartlett (SEU) def. Daniel Llorente (Malaga, Spain/) (MSUD), 6-1, 6-3
 
Singles, Quarterfinals
Liam Fraboulet (WNMU) def. Martinez-Morilla (MSUD), 6-7, 6-4, 6-1
 
 
Doubles, Quarterfinals
Ben Westwick/Alberto Diaz (MSU) def. Daniel Llorente (Malaga, Spain/)/Joey Tscherne (Sylmar, Calif./John F. Kennedy) (MSUD), 8-6